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Only in America!

Poppy Watt

August 16, 2018

Only in America!

Much like the people in America, the food is quite diverse. There are classic American dishes such as fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and tuna casserole, but there is also an abundance of places to find tasty foods inspired by other countries.

If you’ve never been and would like to travel to the USA and you’re curious to try their key traditional dishes, here are my 'must-try American foods’, which have intrigued and excited my palate for years.

Apple Pie

The saying is "American as apple pie" for a reason: it is said this sweet treat is a national institution...

The simple combination of sugar, buttery pastry, and tart sliced apples produces a dessert so extraordinary people have devoted their entire lives to perfecting it.

Falling into the same category for those of us with a sweet tooth, I feel we must also mention Pumpkin Pie, which reigns supreme on Thanksgiving tables across the country, and also the true hero of the dessert table which is, of course, the Pecan Pie.

The Hamburger

Every single American will have a different idea about where to find the best hamburger in the country, ranging from fast food on the West Coast to fine dining in New York. However, whatever part of America you visit, your trip would not be complete without trying the classic burger. Try it with the classic Dill pickle chips, sliced red onion, and tomato, crisp lettuce leaves, ketchup, and mayo.

Clam Chowder

It is basically illegal to visit Boston without trying New England clam chowder. The fragrant soup is sold everywhere, no so appealing visually, but one taste is all it takes to fall in love. Whoever decided to mix chowder clams with tender potatoes, salted pork, heavy cream, and herbs is a total genius.

Texas Barbecue

Mesquite smoked meats and tenderising rubs are common obsessions for a Texan BBQ. The meat is slowly cooked to the point that it is "falling off the bone." It is typically cooked over hickory wood and marinated in a sweet, tomato-based sauce.

Texas barbecue traditions can be divided into four general styles: East Texas, Central Texas, South Texas and West Texas.

Generally speaking, the different Texas barbecue styles are distinguished as follows:

East Texas style: The meat is slowly cooked to the point that it is "falling off the bone." It is typically cooked over hickory wood and marinated in a sweet, tomato-based sauce.

Central Texas style: The meat is rubbed with only salt and black pepper or in some restaurants with spices and cooked over indirect heat from pecan or oak wood or mesquite wood or a combination of woods. The sauce is typically considered unneeded but may be served on the side.

West Texas style: The meat is cooked over direct heat from mesquite wood.

South Texas style: Features thick, molasses-like sauces that keep the meat very moist.

Tater Tots

Tater Tots literally mean, “baby potatoes”. They were first invented in 1953 at the Ore-Ida Labs. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg were trying to figure out what to do with leftover slivers of cut-up potatoes. They chopped up the slivers, added flour and seasoning, then pushed the mash through holes and sliced off pieces of the extruded mixture.

It is said that Americans consume over a staggering 70 million pounds or Tots per year...

Corn dogs

You may be surprised to learn that the corn dog has an unclear beginning. Many different people stake the claim of inventing the corn dog. German immigrants living in Texas make the earliest claim. According to the story, their German sausages weren’t well received in Texas, so they battered them in a thick layer of cornmeal, popped them on a stick and fried them up offering you the perfect mix of sweet and savoury.

Often, corn dogs are eaten with yellow mustard but can be served with relish, sauerkraut, pickles, ketchup, or mayonnaise.